Suspected Criminal
by dancingirl87
Summary: Shawn Brady ran away from home six years ago. Now he's back and suspected of murder. Can Belle help him get out of this mess?
1. Chapter 1

I disclaim.  
  
A soft knock on her window woke Isabella Black from a deep slumber. She groaned and rolled over to look at her alarm clock. It was only 3:47am. Belle flopped back onto her pillow and prepared to fall back asleep.  
It was probably a tree branch, she reasoned, knowing that no trees grew outside her window. That's the kind of thinking you do though, at ten to four in the morning.But then the knock came again, louder and longer. Belle threw off the covers and swung her legs off the bed. She rubbed her face trying to wake up.  
"Philip if that's you, I'm going to kick your ass for waking me up this early," Belle muttered to herself as she got up from her bed and made her way across the room. "Then again it could always be a drug crazed axe murderer."  
Reaching the window, Belle heard the person on the other side knock a third time. Belle pulled the white shade down and it snapped up, revealing a messy haired man framed by the grey early morning light. Belle let out a startled yelp and the man moved forward.Okay, this is freaky, Belle thought. She flipped the switch on her bedside lamp and the room was flooded by light. Belle looked back at the window.  
"You," she spat, unlocking and opening her window. "What the hell are you doing back here?"  
"Thanks for the warm welcome, Belle. I sure know when I'm missed." Shawn-Douglas Brady stood outside Belle's first floor bedroom window. The same Shawn-Douglas Brady who had run away 6 years ago after finding our about JT's paternity. The same Shawn-Douglas Brady who had taken Belle's heart and had yet to give it back.  
Belle eyed Shawn suspiciously. He had grown up in the past years and his eyes held wisdom beyond his 23 years. It was as if Shawn had spent the last 6 years living on the streets or something. Shawn had learned something, but Belle didn't know what. His hair was darker than Belle remembered and was streaked with gold. His face was more mature and his chin was more chiselled. Shawn's clothed were dirty and ripped as though he had been running through a forest earlier. Shawn sure has changed, Belle thought.  
"Belle, are you going to let me in or just stare at me all night?" Shawn asked glancing around the backyard.  
"I'm not letting you in my house," Belle told him, leaning forward on the window sill. "Mimi would kill me and I can't trust you here."  
Shawn's heart almost broke when Belle said she didn't trust him. But then again, she didn't have any reason to trust him. He had run off on her and hadn't even kept in touch."Look, Belle. I just have to stay here for tonight," Shawn told her. "Please."  
"You have to stay here, huh?" Belle said sarcastically. "Why do you have to stay here?" Shawn glanced furtively around and Belle had the fleeting idea that he looked like a criminal on the loose. Belle shook her head. Even if Shawn had changed a lot, nobody changed that much.  
"I'm being hunted." Okay, scratch that.  
"You're being hunted?" Belle repeated. "By who? What happened?"  
"The police and the FBI," Shawn answered. "Belle, please let me in."  
"What did you do?" Belle asked sternly. "Tell me or you're definitely not coming in."  
"They think I killed somebody," Shawn told her quietly.  
"What!? You killed somebody? Oh my God, Shawn! You're crazy!" Belle exclaimed backing away from the window.  
"No! Wait Belle. They think I killed somebody. I didn't. Really. Come on, Belle. You actually think I could kill someone?" Shawn pleaded. "Please Belle. I need help."Belle stood wavering near the window. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. But would she let Shawn in? 


	2. Chapter 2

I disclaim.  
  
"Please Belle," Shawn repeated, his eyes wide in the night. "Will you please let me in?"  
  
Belle looked into Shawn's eyes through the screen that separated them and saw the hope in his eyes; hope that she would let him in, hope that he would get away, hope that it could al be over forever.  
  
"You'd better not mess up my apartment," Belle warned, returning to the window and pushing the screen out. "Mimi will kill you. Well, she'll kill me because she's not going to know that you're back."  
  
Shawn tossed the screen back through the window. He threw one long jean clad leg across the window sill, thankful Belle lived in a first floor apartment. Shawn swung his other leg in the window and landed on his butt on the floor with a slight thump.  
  
"Not so graceful anymore, are you?" Belle asked sarcastically, seating herself cross-legged on her rumpled bed. She watched Shawn scramble up from the floor and it was then that Belle saw the damage. Shawn threw her a sexy smirk before checking himself out in Belle's floor length mirror.  
  
Shawn had long red scratches on his cheeks, as though someone had tried to scratch his eyes out. His clothes were wrecked; they were caked with mud and blood and heading for the garbage. Shawn's ankle was swelling and he had probably twisted it.  
  
Belle was stunned. Shawn had been a bit wild when he was a teen, but not wild enough to look so defeated or be suspected of murder.  
  
"Shawn," Belle began hesitantly, "what happened to you after you left?" Belle wasn't sure that Shawn wanted to talk about it.  
  
"I hung around with a bad crowd," Shawn told her. "Remember, your mom always told us not to hang around with the wrong people. Well, that's what I did. I was so mad at everyone and everything I ignored all the things our parents taught us."   
  
Belle looked down at her lap and saw that her hands were shaking. Shawn had only been back for ten minutes and Belle was already a mess. Belle also noticed that Shawn kept on saying 'I' and 'we'. "Shawn, why are you back in Salem?" Belle finally asked after a few minutes of staring at her trembling hands.  
  
Shawn didn't answer right away. "I needed help, Belle. Your help." Belle looked up at him, startled and Shawn saw all of the conflicting emotions racing through her eyes. There was fear, he as sure of that. Belle was afraid of him. There was also the same hope Shawn himself had. That things could possibly go back to the way they were. That Shawn could be free.  
  
"What can I do?" Belle asked. "I don't have many connections. I haven't spoken to my dad in three years, or your family even longer."  
  
"Oh. Well that isn't the kind of help I need," Shawn told Belle sitting down beside her on the bed.  
  
What kind of help can I give? Belle wondered. 


	3. Chapter 3

I disclaim.  
  
"What can I do Shawn?" Belle asked, glancing up at him. "How can I help you? I'm just me. I can't really do anything."  
  
Shawn looked a bit uncomfortable. "It's not so much you doing something," he tried to explain. "You just don't have to do anything. See, all you have to do Belle, is not tell anyone you've seen me or that I'm here. I'm sure my dad will be around here sometime to see if you've seen me. All you have to do is say no."  
  
Belle was stunned. Shawn wanted her to lie to the police? First of all Belle didn't think lying to the authorities was going to help Shawn's problems at all. Second, Belle couldn't lie to save her life.  
  
"Shawn I can't lie. You know I can't lie. I get all sweaty and twitchy and I do that funny blinking thing. If I try and lie to your dad I'll be even worse," Belle told him wringing her hands nervously in her lap.   
  
"Can't you just try? I need you to try at least Belle. Just....just practise on Mimi. It'll help you." Shawn needed Belle to tell his dad this. Bo Brady couldn't know that he was in Salem.  
  
"Shawn..." Belle began. But she was interrupted by a knock on the door and a soft voice calling her name.   
  
****  
  
Mimi Lockhart was sleeping soundly until a thump from the room across the hall woke her up. Her large green eyes opened immediately and darted around the room for a sign of where the thump had come from. Mimi had always been a light sleeper and awoke whenever Belle walked around her room late at night.  
  
Not seeing anything that could have thumped Mimi wrote it off as part of her extremely vivid dream. That is, until she heard a man's voice coming from Belle's room. Not knowing quite what she was doing Mimi leapt out of bed concerned for her best friend. Belle had a tendency to leave her bedroom window open when she went to bed. Anyone could have just leapt through Belle's window and into her bedroom. That person could be trying to stab Belle with a knife right now.   
  
But then again, Mimi didn't hear any screaming from Belle. There also hadn't been any more loud noises. So, Belle probably knew whoever was in her room. At least Mimi hoped.   
  
Maybe Belle has a friend in there, Mimi thought hopefully.  
  
At 4 in the morning? A friend who didn't come through the front door? A male friend? Mimi's rational voice asked her.  
  
"Okay, okay. Maybe I'll just go and check it out," Mimi said aloud, pulling her bedroom door open. She stepped into the dark hallway and shivered. It was cold out here. Reaching her hand out Mimi knocked softly on Belle's door. "Belle? Are you awake?"   
  
And when she listened closely Mimi thought she heard the unmistakeable voice of Shawn-Douglas Brady.   
  
tbc.... 


	4. Chapter 4

I disclaim.  
  
"Belle?" Mimi called, rapping lightly on the wooden door with her knuckles. "Belle? Are you awake?" She repeated, louder this time.   
  
Inside the room Belle was frantic. "Shit! Shawn, quick! Hide somewhere." Belle glanced around her small bedroom, looking for a place big enough to hide Shawn. "Yeah I'm awake Meems. I'll be right there. Here, go under here, Mimi won't find you," Belle assured him, holding up the coverlet of her bed and gesturing to Shawn that he was to crawl under.   
  
"How old are-"Shawn began but was cut off by Belle.  
  
"Shh! Don't talk. I'm coming!" Belle practically shoved Shawn the rest of the way under her bed. She raced to the door and flung it open to reveal a sleepy looking Mimi. "Hey Meems. What are you doing up?"  
  
"I could ask you the same thing." Mimi squinted at Belle and attempted to peer around her into the room. "Is someone in there with you?"  
  
"What? No way! Who would come and visit me this late at night?" Belle looked calm and innocent to Mimi but her insides were worried and tense.  
  
"I don't know... I thought I heard somebody... Maybe I was wrong." Mimi seemed to be muttering to herself now.   
  
"Mimi, maybe I should get you back to bed, Hun," Belle suggested, wrapping a caring, friendly arm around Mimi's thinly clothed shoulder.   
  
"NO!" Mimi shouted, throwing off Belle's arm and turning to face her best friend. "There is someone in there with you, isn't there?"  
  
"No Mimi, there isn't." Belle felt horrible lying and was barely keeping it together. Mimi was her closest friend and Belle had almost never lied to her, ever.  
  
"Yes there is!" Mimi insisted. "I know who it is Belle!" Mimi's voice was getting louder and louder. Faintly, Belle hoped that the other tenants didn't hear all this yelling or else her and Mimi would be out on their asses.  
  
"You can't know who it is because there's nobody to know. There is no. One. In. My. Room." Belle stressed out each word, gritting her teeth together to stop herself from blabbing everything to Mimi.  
  
"Yes there is!" Mimi yelled her furious green eyes blazing. "Shawn Brady is in that room with you!" The moment after the words came out of her mouth Mimi regretted saying that.   
  
Belle's face paled noticeably and her mouth fell open with shock. "Wh-what? Sh-sh-shawn B-brady is not in m-my room," She stuttered, wringing her hands in front of her. "Now just go back to bed Mimi. There's no one in my room, okay? If there was don't you think I would know?" Feeling immensely sorrowful, Mimi nodded her head. "Okay then. Look, I'm going in my room and I don't want to be woken up again, okay?"   
  
"Sure Belle. I'm sorry." Mimi turned and went into her room, closing the door behind her.  
  
"Dammit!" Belle cursed, slamming her bedroom door behind her. "That did not go well at all!"  
  
tbc... 


	5. Chapter 5

I disclaim.  
  
"Can I come out now?" The muffled, whiny voice of Shawn Brady came from under Belle's bed. "It's getting stuffy under here."   
  
Belle sighed. "Yeah come out. But be quiet!" Shawn wriggled out from under the bed on his stomach while Belle turned on her stereo so they wouldn't be heard talking by Mimi. Belle turned around and found Shawn lying on his back on her bed. She couldn't tell if he was sleeping or not, but Belle wouldn't have been surprised. When she looked at the clock it was now 4:49 am.   
  
"Shawn?" Belle quietly asked, going over to the bed and leaning over him. "You awake?"  
  
"Yeah," Shawn told her sitting up with a sigh. "So what are we going to do now?"  
  
"Isn't this your plan? Should you be figuring that out, not me?" Belle suggested quietly, examining his tanned face. "Now, let's see what we can do about your face. Those scratches are pretty deep." Shawn nodded and Belle opened her First Aid Kit from where it sat on her dresser. "Bandages.... Tape.... Antiseptic..."  
  
"What are you doing?" Shawn asked, louder than he intended. Belle shushed him. "Sorry. What is that?" He asked as Belle came closer with a Kleenex with clear liquid on it.  
  
"I'm just going to clean your face. Don't worry, it's not going to hurt at all." Belle took his face in her hands, surprised at how familiar it felt. She gently cleaned each of Shawn's scratches, careful not to press to hard and hurt him.   
  
"See, that wasn't so bad was it?" Belle asked after, as she pulled bandages from her trusty First Aid kit. She held the up to Shawn as she sat down on the bed. "I'm just going to put these on for tonight, so your face can heal better."  
  
"No, it's okay Belle. I don't need bandages; I'm fine now," Shawn told her quietly, grabbing her hands as they came towards him holding the bandages. Belle looked down at their joined hands and Shawn's eyes followed hers. Belle felt a familiar tug at her heart as Shawn's hands tightened around her own. A sudden thought poked itself into Belle's deliriously happy mind.   
  
What if he runs again?  
  
Belle instinctively drew her hands back. Shawn looked up at her, startled and Belle saw the guarded look in his eyes. "I'll be...back..." Belle leapt off the bed and tore out of the room, forgetting to be quiet.   
  
In the kitchen Belle opened the fridge and poured herself a glass of orange juice, planning to think over everything that had happened. After gulping the whole glass down in about 25 seconds Belle sighed, realizing she wasn't going to be able to think tonight.   
  
Hesitantly coming back into the room, Belle found Shawn once again flopped on his back on her bed. This time Shawn was sound asleep, his long arms and legs sprawled everywhere. His face was less guarded while he slept; looking almost peaceful and childlike. Belle managed a small soft smile and turned the volume down on her stereo.   
  
She opened her closet and pulled out clothes to change into. She was too wired to fall asleep tonight. Or was it this morning? Shaking her head Belle went into the bathroom down the hall and changed clothes. She pulled on exercise shorts and a tight tank top. Pulling her long honey blonde hair into a pony tail Belle reached for a hair elastic that was on the other side of the counter, and noticed that her hands were trembling.  
  
Belle had been so swept up in lying to Mimi, and protecting Shawn, she hadn't given herself a thought since she had first seen him. Truthfully, Belle was surprised at herself for letting Shawn in so quickly. In the years he had been gone Belle had thought that when he came back, if he did, she would hate him and ignore him. Instead, Belle had lied to her best friend for him and had basically let him back into her life with out question.  
  
Belle secured her hair elastic and headed back into her bedroom, intent on starting her daily morning exercises early. She changed CD's from a slow, romantic melody to a hip hop, dance beat and began to jog lightly on the spot to get her blood warmed up and circulating. After jogging for 3 minutes Belle did side stretches, warmed up and stretched her legs and arms and did neck rolls. That was the easy part.  
  
She dropped onto the floor and extended her right leg to the side. She leaned over her leg and touched her nose to her knee, holding her position for 20 seconds. Belle repeated this stretch on the other side and the worked on her splits, splats and kicks.   
  
Shawn awoke while Belle was doing sit-ups. She was counting softly to herself and sweating heavily. "Two hundred forty-five, Two hundred forty-six."  
  
"How many of those do you have to do?" Shawn asked. Belle's answer was to flip over onto her stomach and begin doing push ups. "Oh."   
  
Shawn sat up and watched Belle with interest. She hadn't been this graceful when he left. She had been graceful, sure, but she had been kind of a klutz too. Now though, she was beautiful, stretching gracefully, like a feline.  
  
"What are you looking at Shawn?" Belle asked breathlessly, jumping up from the floor and gulping down water from a water bottle on her dresser.  
  
"Nothing," Shawn answered quickly, looking at the ceiling. "Nothing at all."  
  
tbc... 


End file.
